Photograph
by Mistress of the Arts
Summary: Oneshot. Natsumi and Kotarō go through a box of photographs of memories that make them laugh.


**Eidolon Twilight Princess: Hey, everybody. Look, I know I haven't updated in awhile, so I thought I'd make it up with a Negima oneshot.**

**DiQiao17: HOLY FUDGE?! YOU'RE LETTING SOMEONE ELSE HAVE KOTA-KUN?!**

**ETP: (blush) Yeah… I got an idea and found that Natsumi x Kotarō is actually VERY kawaii (cute) so I figured, what the heck.**

**DQ17: (faints in utmost shock)**

**ETP: (sweatdrop) Come off it! I can be QUITE reasonable when it comes to Kota-love! I share him (sometimes)!**

**DQ17: (still passed out in shock)  
**

**ETP: (sigh) Se-chan, can you please do the Disclaimer?**

**Setsuna: Eidolon Twilight Princess doesn't own Negima; Ken Akamatsu does. She only owns this fanfiction oneshot that she took the time to write and create from her own imagination. Merry Christmas!**

**Photograph**

"Hey, look at this one, Natsumi-nēchan." Kotarō said, shuffling through the box of photographs, and pulling out the picture of the Halloween party Class 3-A had thrown. The picture was of Natsumi, Kotarō, Chizuru, and Ayaka. He laughed, smiling at her, "You were such a cute fairy."

Natsumi blushed at the word "cute" escaping Kotarō's lips.

"Oh! Here's one from when we were in the Magical World! I remember Chachamaru- nēchan took it of you yellin' at me for lookin' older." Kotarō paused and glanced at the redhead, "Hey, did it really bother you when I looked your age?"

Natsumi jolted and blushed even worse. Nodding, Natsumi played with the hem of her t-shirt, aware of his warm dark brown eyes watching her curiously.

"I-I mean… seeing you _now_ and seeing what you'll look like four years from now really… was strange to me…" Natsumi confessed, "You're gonna be a really good-looking guy when you get older, Kotarō-kun."

Kotarō's face turned pink. He was completely oblivious to it though as he scooted closer to look at the photograph in Natsumi's hands. It was one of the pictures Chizuru had taken shortly after he had arrived at Mahora.

They were standing outside of a café, Chizuru tugging playfully on his ears while she winked, and Natsumi's hand on his left shoulder as she did a peace sign, and Kotarō standing with his hands in his pockets, a slightly annoyed expression on his face, and his cheeks dusted with a small blush.

Looking back, Kotarō realized that when Chizuru was close to him he didn't feel the same like when he was alone with Natsumi. With Natsumi, he found himself more playful, wanting to see her smile and laugh, instead of shyly talking with him.

"Natsumi-nēchan," Kotarō whispered suddenly, "I don't understand why you're so self-conscious…"

Bewildered, her bright green eyes locked on his, "Kotarō-kun, just look at me, and then look at Chizunē! I'm so… average compared to her…" Natsumi mumbled.

Kotarō shook his head, "That's not true, Natsumi-nēchan! You're really pretty! I mean, no one else has your cute freckles, or your pretty red hair, or your gentle green eyes!" He protested.

"Do you… really believe that, Kotarō-kun?" Natsumi gulped in shock, her heart pounding faster in her chest, and she felt her palms grow sweaty.

A sudden wave of nervousness went through Kotarō as he stared into the older girl's eyes. Her face was dusted with a pretty blush, like it had many times before whenever he was close, and her lips were trembling, slightly parted.

Kotarō blushed hotly as he wondered what it would be like to kiss a girl.

Sure, Negi had done it several times, but Kotarō used to be convinced it was completely repulsive to do something so… mushy.

However, recently he began to learn that girls could be strong fighters too, and that sometimes they wanted to look cute or pretty for someone special. Chibi-Yue and Nodoka always seemed to put in an extra effort to look cute for Negi…

Kotarō began to look the redhead over. Natsumi was wearing a v-neck t-shirt with a lacy camisole underneath, along with a khaki jean skirt.

Maybe Natsumi had been trying to dress cuter for _him_ to notice her…

"Natsumi…" Kotarō whispered her name, purposefully dropping the honorific, to see what would happen.

She felt a rapid set of _b-bmp_!s as Kotarō said just her name.

Not "Natsumi-san", not "Natsumi-nēchan", not "Natsumi-nē", just "Natsumi".

No one had ever grown close enough to her to be able to just call her by her first name, but when Kotarō said it, it sounded… right.

"Kotarō…" Natsumi turned pink as Kotarō glanced up at her from underneath his jet-black bangs.

Suddenly, she felt her eyes start to close, and she impulsively began to lean forward. Kotarō jolted and turned several shades of red, one of the shades being almost purple, and he felt his stomach knot in nerves. Gulping, Kotarō glanced at Natsumi, waiting with her lips pursed, and her eyes closed, hoping he would kiss her.

Should he?

Sure, he was curious about kissing, and dating for that matter, but a kiss with _Natsumi_?

Wasn't he supposed to be playing the role of her younger brother?

But then again, they had grown so close that Chizuru had been playfully implying something was brewing between them… was Chizuru right?

Was Kotarō in _love_ with Natsumi?

It's what it felt like…

He cared a lot for Natsumi. He wanted to protect her; to see her smile. He wanted to make her happy and would do anything for Natsumi.

Yes, he did love her.

So was he _in_ love with her?

Kotarō felt so nervous as he began to close his eyes too. Slowly, hesitantly, he began to lean in too. He was so nervous he was sure he was going to miss and accidentally kiss her face instead of her lips. To make sure, Kotarō kept his eyes partway open, until his lips lightly brushed against Natsumi's. He then shut his eyes tightly, pressing his mouth more firmly against the older girl's.

The feeling was strange… different… but actually very nice.

Kotarō was surprised to find he liked kissing and he liked feeling his lips brushing against Natsumi's soft ones.

After about twenty-seconds, Natsumi pulled back, opening her eyes to see Kotarō slowly doing the same. The young dog-hanyō was blushing badly, his nails digging into his jeans, and he quickly avoided her eyes.

"Kotarō…" Natsumi whispered again.

"N-Natsumi… you're the first girl I've ever kissed… I was so nervous I thought I was gonna miss… Um… I think I'm in love with you, Natsumi…" Kotarō muttered, avoiding her green eyes.

_B-bmp! B-bmp! B-bmp!_

"Kotarō, um… I love you too…" Natsumi confessed, "I… I've been in love with you… for awhile… ever since Chizuru started pointing out how we acted around each other…"

Memories played across both their minds. The photo albums were still spread out between them on the bedroom floor. Blushing, Kotarō moved his hand so it was now resting on Natsumi's, and he squeezed it gently. Natsumi smiled shyly at him.

"Um… Natsumi… will you g-go o-out with m-me?"

"Yeah…"

Kotarō broke into a wild grin, and then leaned up, pressing his lips to hers happily. Natsumi blinked at the abrupt kiss but kissed back for a few seconds.

"I know the one thing that will never change, Natsumi…" Kotarō whispered, once he pulled away.

"And that is?" Natsumi said softly.

"I'll always love you." Kotarō told her firmly.

Natsumi blushed and replied, "So will I, Kotarō."

Kotarō smiled and pointed at a photograph of them hugging and making silly faces, "Look at this photograph, every time I do it makes me laugh…"

Happily, the new couple scooted as close as possible, shuffling through the memories.

**The End**

**ETP: Eureka! I am complete!**

**DQ17: (finally regains consciousness) AW! SO KAWAII!**

**ETP: Thank you, thank you (bows repeatedly/listens to applause)**

**DQ17: (sweatdrop) Don't let it go to your head, Nēchan.**

**ETP: (rubs back of neck sheepishly) Sorry. It just felt really good to write such a fluffy oneshot!**

**DQ17: I liked the photograph theme.**

**ETP: Inspired by Nickelback's "Photograph". (loves that song!!)**

**DQ17: So please R&R.**

**ETP: No flames please… I'm sensitively weak-hearted when it comes to flames.**

**DQ17: Later, Negima fans! **


End file.
